Legislation
Mainstreaming Community Safety The Middle Level
Mainstreaming Community Safety - The Middle Level
Building Crime and Disorder Reduction into Departments’ Mainstream Activities
Taking the application of Section 17 a stage further, this approach involves councils making crime and disorder reduction part of their core business and building it into departments' regular activities - often known as 'mainstreaming' community safety. One of the main benefits of this approach is that progress is less dependent on projects and short-term initiatives. Mainstreaming also enables a more rigorous approach based on performance management, evaluation, learning and continuous improvement.
In practice ‘mainstreaming’ might mean:
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Having strategies/policies in place to identify and reduce the risks of crime to staff, local communities and property
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Supporting staff in developing the knowledge and skills they need to identify opportunities for improving community safety and minimising risks
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Incorporating a commitment to improving community safety in job descriptions and person specifications, in much the same way that commitment to equal opportunities is generally required
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Building community safety into public consultations
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Ensuring activity is not time limited except where there is good reason for demonstration projects
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Funding through mainstream budgets
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Assigning clear responsibility and reporting procedures for key initiatives
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Including community safety objectives in service plans and other routine planning
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Developing information (including cost-benefit analysis) and risk management systems for planning and monitoring; and implementing performance management procedures to make sure that crime and disorder reduction outcomes, and savings, are achieved.
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Last update: 17/08/03